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Saturday, February 26, 2011
First-Class Revamp for VW's Touareg
By Ken Walston
Of the Journal
Volkswagen shamelessly thrusts its freshly restyled and re-engineered Touareg SUV in with some high-falutin' company, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
It's a fair comparison as the 2011 Touareg really is a premium-grade vehicle. And at its price point — $45,600 for a base Sport model — it ought to be.
A trio of new powerplants — gasoline V-6, diesel V-6 and a gas-electric hybrid — broaden the SUV's appeal.
Oddly, the hybrid drivetrain is the performance champ, its supercharged V-6 paired with an electric motor for a combined total of a potent 380 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque delivering V-8-level thrust.
Its 24-mpg highway rating suggests power was a higher priority than fuel economy.
Also all-new for 2011 is an eight-speed automatic transmission for all engines. It's a fine piece, delivering virtually imperceptible shifts with near-instantaneous response to requests from the throttle.
Our base-model Sport test vehicle's gasoline V-6 provided perfectly adequate power, but short of sporty. And its 16 mpg city/23 highway fuel consumption is indicative of the vehicle's substantial 4,711-pound curb weight.
VW has directed the Touareg toward more of a soft-roader role, discontinuing the five-passenger wagon's previous low-range drivetrain with standard all-wheel drive. It's also a weight-saving gesture.
The Touareg is a comfortable, relaxing tourer, rolling serenely along the road with scant intrusion of road and wind noise. Handling is smooth and confident; brakes powerful and easily modulated.
Inside the handsome, high-grade interior, the front bucket seats are designed for long-haul comfort. The rear bench seat slides fore and aft up to 6 inches to adjust passenger or cargo space.
The cabin is well-endowed with a lengthy list of standard comfort and convenience items, as you might expect in this price range.
With attractive style, high-end amenities, smooth performance and proud Germanic attitude, the Touareg takes on all rivals.
2011 Touareg VR6 Sport
VEHICLE TYPE: Four-door, five-passenger luxury-sport utility wagon
BASE PRICE: $45,600
PRICE AS TESTED: $46,420 (incl. delivery fees)
POWERTRAIN: 3.6-liter, DOHC V-6; 280 horsepower; 265 lb.-ft. torque; eight-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
WHEELBASE/LENGTH: 113.9"/188.8"
CURB WEIGHT: 4,711 pounds
EPA FUEL RATING: 16 mpg city/23 highway (premium grade)
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